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I honestly hope this question is not too far off-topic, but it is to do with a 1st stage Spiritual soul (me!) intensifying her desires to return to God'dess.

I'm wondering if anyone has any opinions about or knowledge of "TM," the transcendental meditation technique that gained such popularity late last century. Personally, I do the "1, 2" technique that Wolf recommended to me. Meanwhile, I've got a few 1st stage Spiritual friends who swear by TM...their very didactic approach ("This is THE way to meditate!!") is offputting, but I'm still wondering, if Rad or Deva would know, what Wolf's opinion of TM is, was, or might be? I'm sticking with "1, 2," but when people tell me, "I used to have all the problems (with surrendering to God) that you do, and all I did was TM and I moved through them to the point that I no longer have or think about them," well...of course I want to ask for further information (if anyone has any) about such a technique. These people definitely live a Spiritual reality, including right work on behalf of others...they certainly walk their talk, and always point to God as the way Home. (But one of them also charges $600 to learn TM!!!!)

I guess a more general or to-the-point question for Rad & Deva would be: is "1, 2" the way to naturally know God'dess for ALL Souls? Does it matter which method/technique of meditation a Soul embraces? Yogananda brought us Kriya yoga, which I consider, relative to me, a "post-graduate" form of my current "1, 2" efforts. For a Soul just beginning to embrace meditation, I would think "1, 2" is the way to start. True?

I learned TM back in the 70s, and I found it a good way to relax. Also, I found out MUCH later that all their "super secret" mantras given specifically to each individual in attunement WITH that individual, amount to a simple list given out more by age and gender than any kind of vibration. You can now find places on the web that list all the mantras. The mantras are simply a way to stay focused, just like the "one-two" method, but TM COSTS a LOT more! Also, years ago when I was counseling with Wolf, I asked him if my TM mantra would be worth using agian (I was taking the SRF lessons by then), and he said, "No."

I'd suggest you either stick with Wolf's "one-two" method, OR get the lessons from SRF or Ananda, both of which teach a variety of meditation techniques, one of which is similar to the "one-two." I recommend SRF over Ananda because even tho SRF has edited the original lessons, those are still lessons written by Yogananda, while the Ananda lessons were written by Kriyananda. I think Kriyananda's lessons are a good addition to SRF's once you finish with those. Priscilla Walker of Amrita Foundation in Dallas, TX, offers the original, unedited Praecepta lessons, BUT they are similar enough to the originals (I've seen both versions of the first 12).. and they're a LOT more expensive than SRF. Hope this helps.

Thank you so much for your loving guidance, and for your generosity in sharing your own personal experiences with me. My intuition has been telling me to stick with "1, 2" for now, because for me, with NNode in Pisces/12, oppose Virgo Moon in balsamic conj to SNode in 6, and Pluto retro in Virgo/6, the simplest methods ALWAYS work the best.

I look forward to checking into Yogananda's methods as I progress further. Thank you so much for the invaluable information on the merits of, and differences between, SRF, Ananda, and Amrita. I'm sure this will help many others as well.

I hope you are enjoying good health these days, my friend! Take good care.

Thank you Adina for sharing your experiences and what Wolf said in regards to TM....I'd also like share something on the subject: a student/friend of mine has also been involved with TM for several years. Then a few years ago she turned away from it after she viewed a video of the leader guy (mahasaya or maha-something he calls himself? sorry I’m not sure the exact name, but he claims to be a god realised "great guru") on that video he publicly screamed and shouted while banging his fist to the to the table top expressing intense rage and hatred - actually against the american people in general.....my friend is not american by the way but she was totally shocked and disillusioned...

She said "I just don't think that any god realised soul would hate others no matter who they may be or what they have done....." I never been involved with TM, but I totally agree with the above....On the same video the guy also stated the following: "No soul can gain enlightenment in a female form, for it is possible only in a male form."These two experiences turned my friend totally away from TM, although she said she thinks the meditation technique is useful to some degree but she said, she thinks the leader and the whole organisation is highly profit oriented while attempting to appear as a "spiritual" authority...

I don't have any personal experience with TM as it never attracted me; but I trust my friend's first hand experiences and I though it maybe worth to share....

After my friend’s disillusionment I suggested Yogananda and his teachings to her and she found great solace in them....

I also heard from her and from others that the guy "teaching" people to "fly" - and courses for this are extremely expensive....when I heard the description as what's actually happening, I couldn't help but burst out laughing...in essence "students" are lead to hopping around and then it is explained to them that they are not enlightened enough and not believing enough so that's why they can't fly...its' all their fault at the end:-)

Well, to me all this appears to be a typical second stage spiritual phenomena; the problem is not the meditation technique in itself but what the whole thing is serving: it is serving the leader's grossly enlarged ego who is pointing to himself (and his personalised profit oriented organisation) as the way to “enlightenment” .....

Wow! That's all I can say to those revelations about TM. I learned the technique way back in the late 70s, and it was NOTHING like that back then. It wasn't even presented as a spiritual system, a way to "enlightenment." So it's obviously a good thing to get the update. "No soul can gain enlightenment in a female body" I wonder how on earth they get ANY women to take their lessons under THAT pronouncement. YIKES! Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's behavior does, indeed, seem like 2nd stage spiritual from the way you described it. So sad, as I don't think he came across this way at the beginning.

As far as flying lessons, well we ALL know we turn to Peter Pan for THOSE.

A very good straightforward and powerful book that gives a great overview of practices based on Yogananda's teachings is How To Meditate: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Art and Science of Meditation by John Novak, Spiritual Director of Ananda.

Blessings, Jeff

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"The feminine grows spiritually by learning to live as love rather than hoping for it. The masculine grows spiritually by learning to live as freedom rather than struggling for it." -David Deida

Thank you very much for your input. Indeed, my friends' attitude of "This is IT," "This is the ONLY way that works," etc., relative to TM, is pure 2nd stage Spiritual stuff. When I read those words in your reply, their point of view was perfectly illumined for me. (They're certainly further along the 1st stage Spiritual path than I am...)

I am so glad I came here with this question. Thank you, my friends, and God bless,Lesley

P.S. Thanks, EF, for the book suggestion. I hope others will find all of this information helpful as well.